Mirror Ball 2013

“Mirror Ball 2013 will see the Fairmont Royal York transformed into a wondrous winterscape, which will serve as the perfect contrast to the warmth of an evening dedicated to helping Canadian women face cancer with support and confidence. Amid scenes of snow and ice, guests from Canada’s beauty, fashion and media industries will gather to raise funds needed to ensure that two vital cancer support programs – Look Good Feel Better and FacingCancer.ca – continue to be available for those who need them most.

On Saturday, November 23rd, Mirror Ball will bring together more than 650 guests for an evening of entertainment, fine cuisine and the hugely popular silent, live and vintage fine wine auctions. Most importantly, the Mirror Ball will unite influential members of the beauty and fashion industries, media, leading Canadian retailers and compassionate members of the public in support of Look Good Feel Better and FacingCancer.ca. Both of these programs provide free social and emotional support to women diagnosed with all types of cancer, as well as their friends and loved ones.

Comedian Jessica Holmes, known for her many characters on Royal Canadian Air Farce, will host Mirror Ball 2013; her surprise appearance at last year’s gala was a huge hit with guests who will once again be treated to her unique brand of stand-up comedy and impressions.

Mary van Praag is the Mirror Ball 2013 Chair and General Manager, Coty Canada. “I think we sometimes underestimate the support a woman needs when she’s diagnosed with cancer. Not only does it affect her body, but her mind and spirit are challenged as well,” she said. “Until there is a cure for cancer, programs like Look Good Feel Better and FacingCancer.ca will be crucial in helping women and their loved ones manage the social and emotional effects of this life-changing disease. I am so pleased that I can be part of this event and also of the role Coty Canada is playing to help raise awareness and vital funds for greater psychosocial cancer support.”

“Mirror Ball is such an inspiring evening for me,” comments Sherry Abbott, Executive Director of the CCTFA Foundation, home of the Look Good Feel Better and FacingCancer.ca programs. “As a long-term survivor of advanced stage cancer, it’s especially meaningful for me to see the cosmetic and beauty industry, as well as national retailers and media come together to champion these vital cancer support programs and, by doing so, making them available to Canadian women at one of the most challenging times of their lives. I can honestly tell you that it’s a lifeline to have a safe and supportive place to go and a network of supporters who understand that cancer and its treatment impacts every aspect of your being.”

Look Good Feel Better is Canada’s only cancer charity dedicated to empowering women to manage the effects that cancer and its treatment can have on their appearance. At the heart of the program is the free, two-hour hands-on workshop that comes complete with a complimentary cosmetic and personal care kit. At the workshop women with cancer learn simple cosmetic techniques, nail and skin care tips, hair alternatives and cosmetic hygiene, to help them look a little more like themselves again. Beyond beauty, it’s the support from other women, the sharing of empowering information, support of compassionate volunteers and laughter that helps workshop participants gain confidence, lift spirits and take control. Look Good Feel Better workshops are offered at 120 hospitals and cancer care facilities across Canada, and have served more than 150,000 women since 1992. Hundreds of thousands more have been helped by the program’s 1.800 information line, website and annual magazine.

Launched in 2010, FacingCancer.ca is a companion program to Look Good Feel Better, offering an online community where women with cancer and those who support them can share, confide and connect with each other to help manage the social and emotional effects of living with cancer.”[Newsrelease]